Means for slashing platforms and insoles



July 10, 1945- L. G. FREEMAN, JR 2,380,227

MEANS FOR SL ASHING PLATFORMS AND INSOLES Filed Jan. 24, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 3Z /9 17 5d "I I I0 9 33 D O 30 'F/c' Lou/5 FQgEMfi/v,

INVENTOR. BY u-E y 45- 1.. G. FREEMAN, JR 2,380,227

MEANS FOR, SLASHING PLATFORMS AND INSOLES Filed Jan. 24, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L o 015 Q, F kEE/VIH M Jk mvENToR.

BY M

Patented July 10, 1945 MEANS FOR SLASHIN G PLATFORMS AND INSOLES Louis G. Freeman, Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Benjamin W. Freeman, Cincinnati, Ohio Application January 24, 1944, Serial N 0. 519,510

12 Claims.

For many years it has been the custom in ord to render insoles more flexible to slash the insole part of the Way through by means of a die or dies.

With the advent of the platform shoe it became increasingly necessary to slash these platforms because of the rigidity of the material used in the manufacture of the platform. V

In slashing, these platforms with an ordinary die the slashes were perpendicular to the plane of the platform and if the slashes were long enoughto extend to the edges of the platform it was found that when the cover was applied over the platform and the ensuing stitching or cementing under pressure operations were completed that the portions at the edge of the platform adjacent the slashes extended outward causing bulges along the edge of the platform where it was slashed.

If the platform covers were either stitched or cemented on, it was found that when the shoes were worn the continued flexing of the platform at the slashed pointstende'dL to break or crack.

In slashing the platform the slashing knives penetrated approximately 3 or more through the platform material, resulting in /3; or less of the platform material unslashed. This small amount of material is all that is left to hold the front part of the platform to the rear part and continued flexing eventually cracks'or breaks at the slashed points.

Inorder to provide more strength to the platform, a die was used which did not cut across the entire width of the platform, leaving a margin between the end of the slash and the edgeof the platform; This method left an unslashed portion for the platform cover to be cemented or stitched to but it also greatly reduced the amount of flexbility in the platform and tendedto defeat the purpose of the'slashing; although it did prevent the bulging at the edge of the platform adjacent the slashes.-

Inasmuch as the platforms grade regularly like insoles or outsoles as to size and width, there was a greatvariation in the space between the end of the slash and the edge of the platform unless a series of slashing dies were used.

Another objection to this method is that p1atforms must be placed more orless accurately in the slashing die so that the slashes would be spaced uniformly from both edges.

With the slashes at an angle instead of vertical, there would be no tendency of the edges of the platform to bulge out when pressure was exerted a ainst the platform either when applying pressurei cementing the cover to the platform,

in stitching the cover to' the platform, or the weight of the body when walking; the theory being that there will be platform material under the slash to support this slash.

When a platform cover is stitched on to the platform the needle with slanted slashes penetrates through the slashed portions anchoring them togetherand prevents the platform from breaking at the slashing points when the slashes cover the entire width of theplatform as in the old straight up and down method of slashing.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a mechanism and practice for readily forming these desirable slanting, slashes, Essentially I provide a movable die carriage with a die thereon which during its forward motion will travel across. the surface of the platform which is clamped tightly on the gauge plate and the1 angularly set knives of the die will slash the platform across its entire width.

One problem in such an operation is that the knives tend to tear rather than out the platform material, and I provide a knife so shaped and so sharpened that I eliminate this tearing,

Another problem which has been solved is to prevent the knife from contacting the insole on the return trip of the die, carriage and mean is used to raise the knives before the return of the die carriage to its rearwardposition.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects that will appear'as the description proceeds, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like parts and in which such parts of the machine as have. been necessary to show the operation of the die have been illustrated.

Reference is now made to the which:

Figure 1 is a perspective taken from the front of the machine equipped according to my invention. t

Figure 2 is aside elevation of the press equipment according to my invention, shown as a section through the frame and carriage.

Figure 3 is a perspective of the work holder.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the die in position with the wedge removed;

Figure 5' is a view like that of Figure 4, with the wedge inserted.

Figure 6 isa plan view of the entire die structure, taken from beneath the device.

The die carriage A carries the upper die unit B in operative relation to the work support C, which in turn carries the gauge plate and themasking or clamping means 1).

drawings in The die unit B consists of a base plate I by means of which the unit is secured to the die carriage A in any desired manner.

Resiliently mounted on the plate I, by means of posts 4 (four being used in this instance), and springs 5, washers 8 and screws 1, is the wedge receiving plate 8 to which is rigidly mounted the cutter blade block 9. The springs preferably carry a bushing 5a which engagesthe washers and bottom against the plate 8 when the springs are compressed. The cutting blades [8 fit in suitable slots in the block and are clamped rigidly and positioned there by means of clamp bar I2 and screws l3. A bevel I5 is provided on the wedge receiving plate 8 on the side nearest the base plate I and on the edge facing the wedge bar l6.

Rigidly secured to the base plate I are recessed gibs I1 perpendicular or at right angles to the beveled portion of the wedge receiving plate 8.

The wedge I4 is formed at one end of a bar 16, which is provided with lips I8 to cooperate with the recessed gibs I! so as to allow the wedge bar Hi to slide freely in a horizontal position but to prevent any movement of the wedge bar Hi from a vertical or up and down movement.

When the wedge l6 moves forward the tapered or wedged edge of the wedge engages the corresponding bevel [5 of the wedge receiving plate 8 and as the wedge l6 proceeds forward it separates the plate 8 from the base plate 1 against the action of the springs 5 and when the wedge l6 arrives at its foremost position the flat surface of the plate 8 is resting on the fiat surface of the wedge bar l6, so that the wedge receiving plate and the cutter blade block 9 are parallel with the base plate I and the cutting knives l8 are in cutting position.

Rigidly secured at the rearward end of the wedge bar i6 is a contact block l8 which serves to move the wedge [6 into and out of position as the carriage moves inwardly and, as it passes the work after completing the cutting operation at the end of the forward stroke.

The masking or clamping unit-D is comprised of a gauge plate 38 provided with perforations 3| which are so located as to cooperate with pins 32 located on the work support C and-are the means for properly locating the unit D on to the work support C in relation to the die unit B.

Rigid bars 33 are rigidly attached to the gauge plate 38-to cooperate with the clamping means 34 pivotally and resiliently attached to the .work support.

Clamping plate 35 is rigidly attached to the gauge plate 38 but elevated to a predetermined height therefrom by means of studs 36, a sufficient number of which are used to provide adequate support to the clampingplate.

The upper surface of the clamping plate 35 has been knurled or roughened to prevent the work from moving during the cutting operation.

A clamping mask 31 provided with aligning plates 38 is pivotally'mounted to the clamping plate 35 by means of hinges 39.

The clamping mask 31 extends forward so as to provide leverage for the operator-in holding the work securely in position. The forward part of the clamping mask can be used as a handle as at 48. g

Rigidly secured to the gauge plate 38 is a wedge retracting block 4|. A wedge inserting block 58 is rigidly attached to a bracket on the machine which carries thedie carriage actuating'mechanism.

The operation of the die is as follows:

The die unit'B with the block l3 at its rearmost position is placed in the die carriage A and locked therein while the die carriage is at its foremost position. By means of operating mechanism fully described in Freeman Patent No. 2,084,335, the die carriage together with the die unit B is returned to its rearmost position. As the die carriage approaches its rearmost position the contact block l9 contacts the wedge inserting block 58, stopping the block l9 and the wedge l6. As the die carriage proceeds with the die unit B securely locked thereto it continues to move rearwardly. The wedge H5 at the tapered end I9 contacts the beveled edge l5 of the plate 8 and enters between the plate 8 and the base plate I, lowering the cutter blades W to their normal working position by the time the die carriage and die unit B reach its rearmost or rest position. This relation of parts is shown in Fig. 2.

The masking or clamping means unit D is then located on to the work support by means of the perforations 3| and the locating pins 32 are held in position by the pivoting clamps 34. The han dle portion of the mask clamp is then raised as at 48 and the work placed on the rougened portion of the clamping plate 35 with the side of the work to be operated upon uppermost. The mask clamp is then lowered and the work aligned to its proper position and then the operator depresses the mask clamp at 48, thus holding the work rigidly in proper operating position.

Upon treadling the machine the die carriage together with the die um't B starts its forward motion and as the cutting blades 1 8 pass through the work-piece they cause slashes to be made.

By setting the knives at various angles the angles of the slashes in the work-piece can be varied.

After the cutting blades 18 have passed through the work-piece and beyond the forward edge of the clamping plate 35 the contact block l9 contacts the wedge retracting block 4|, stopping the motion of .the wedge. The die carriage and the die unit B rigidly locked therein continues to move forwardly and the wedge 16 is thereby retracted from the space between the plate 8 and the base plate I. The action of the springs 5 force the plate 8 against the plate 6, thus raising or reducing the height of the. die.

If the machine is so connected up as to operate as a cut-out machine, as shown in the Freeman patent above referred to, it is apparent that the work support C may rise and retract as it would do in forming cut-outs or print marking, and the mechanism now described would not interfere with this movement.

Upon completion of the cycle of the work support the die carriage moves to its rearward or rest position and the die unit B, because of the retracted position of the wedge clears the work which is stillclamped in the unit D.

As the die carriage continues its rearward movement, the block l9 contacts the block 58 and re-enters the wedge l5 between the plate 8 and the base plate I, lowering the cutters again to their normal height, whereupon another piece of work E may be mounted, and the operation repeated. 4

In connection with the structure of the knives, it will be noted that they are separate thin blades set into the holder, and that each one is in the form roughly of a rounded triangle with the advance edge in the cutting direction sharpened in a faii lywide taper extending across the rdu-n'd ti-por-apex. y v

"This is not a "mitation on the inventionfas no doubt other forms or slicing knives or slashing kn i-ves would serve. Whereas it is a great advantage to provide for a slashing die can be very simply placed in the standard machine of Freeman construction, still "the invention herein embodies more than this particular adaptation. "Thusiithe sliding wedge construction were placed on a "sliding holder and operated upon the gauge plate thereoii in the samemanner that in the present instance the wedge device acts on the knife holder, it is apparent that the knives could be held in fixed position and thework holder moved to cause the slashing. The wedge bar block i9, might then be extended in the opposite direction to "the one illustrated so that the wedge would be inserted beneath theplate when the same was in its =forward position and pulled away from wedging po si-tion aft-er the work has been passed under the slashing knives. In its essence, my invention consistsin moving a piece of work or slashing knives with reference to each other so that the knives traverse the work in a plane parallel to its surface, the to and fro motion being employed to elevate the support either for "the work or the slashing knives when the partsfare in one position, and lower it when the parts are in another, permitting a passing stroke of the instrumentalities in the return operation, the instrumentalities being so spaced that the knives do not contact the work, With such a construction applied to sl-antwise slashing, the principal objectives of my invention are performed. Then from the other oint of View, I have provided for an arrangement in a standard cut-out press for use in decorating shoe parts for a slashing knife mounting which takes advantage of the traversing movement of the die holder to slash the work.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for forming slashes in pieces of work for shoes and the like, a cutting die comprising a support and a series of separate blades mounted therein at the desired angle, means for moving said support in the plane of the work,

and means for supporting the work in gauged position, and means for increasing the spacing of the die support and the work support during the return motion of the die support after a stroke during which the blades pass through the work.

2. In a machine for forming slashes in pieces of work for shoes and the like, a cutting die comprising a slashing blade set at the desired angle. means for moving said support in the plane of the work, and means for supporting the work in gauged position, and means for increasing the spacing of the die support and the work support during the return motion of the die support after a stroke during which the slashing blade passes through the work.

3. In a machine for forming slashes in pieces of work for shoes and the like, a cutting die comprising a slashing blade set at the desired angle, means for supporting the work in a gauged position, a support for the die, means for sliding the supporting means and support relative to each other in the same plane so that the slashing blade passes through the work in the plane of the 'work, and means operative during a. portion of saidmovement to space the said supports toward each other during the slashing stroke, and space them further from each other during the return stroke.

4L I-n a machine-for forming slashes in pieces of work for shoes and the like, a cutting diecomprising a slashing blade set at the desired angle, a support for the die, means for supporting the work, means for moving the die support in the plane of the work support where during a movement of the samethe blade slashes the work and means for spacing the die support so that the blade will not reach the work during the return portion of the movement of the die support, comprising means for resiliently mounting the said support, a wedge member movable to force itself beneath the support and raise it, and abutments to engage the wedge member to move it beneath the support during the slashing stroke of the support and remove it from beneath the support during the return stroke thereof.

5. In a machine for forming slashes in pieces of work for shoes and the like, a cutting die comprising a slashing blade set at the desired angle, a support for the die,- means for supporting the work, means-for moving the die support in the plane of the work support where during a movement of the same the blade slashes the work and means for spacing the die support :so that the blade will not reach the work during the return portion of the movement of the die support, comprising means for resiliently mounting the said support, a wedge member movable to force itself beneath the support'and raise it, and a'butments to] erig age'the wedge member to move it beneath the support during the slashing stroke of the support and remove it from beneath the support during the return stroke thereof, the said means comprising an abutment which engages wedge opposing its movement along with the die support in one direction, and an abutment opposing its movement along with the support, in the other direction, said wedge remaining in the position enforced by one abutment until the other abutment engages it.

6. In a machine for forming slashes in pieces of work for shoes and the like, a cutting die comprising a slashing blade set at the desired angle, a support for the die, means for supporting the work, means for moving the die support in the plane of the work support where during a movement of the same the blade slashes the work and means for spacing the die support so that the blade will not reach the work during the return portion of the movement of the die support, comprising means for resiliently mounting the said support, a wedge member movable to force itself beneath the support and raise it, and abutments to engage the wedge member to move it beneath the support during the slashing stroke of the support and remove it from beneath the support during the return stroke thereof, the said means comprising an abutment which engages wedge opposing its movement along with the die support in one direction, and an abutment opposing its movement along with the support, in the other direction, said wedge remaining in the position enforced by one abutment until the other abutment engages it, the first noted abutment located so as to drive the wedge under the die support when the support moves away from above the work on the work support on its return stroke from slashing the work, and the second noted abutment placed so as to pull the wedge from under the diehsupport; when the supportj-has passed beyond the work Support in its slashing stroke.- '7. In combination with a cut-out machine having a work support and a die carriage movable from an idle position away from above thework support, to a position-over the work support, an attachment for converting the said machine for slashing'shoe parts and the like comprising a work'holder for locating theework on the work support, and a slashingdieholder for locating a slashing blade on the carriage, and means effective upon the motion of the carriage to move the die support into and out'of work-contacting position. Y

8. In combination with a cut-out machine having a work-supportand a die carriage movable from an idle position away from above the work support, to a position over the work-support, an attachment for converting the said machine for slashing shoe partsand the likecomprisinga work holder for locatingthe workon-the work support," and a slashing die" holder -forlocating a slashing blade on the carriage, and means effective upon the motion of the carriage to move the die support into. and out of work contacting position, said means comprising resilient means for'mounting the die on thedie support, a wedge mounted slidably on the die support, and means for engaging said wedge to move it so as to elevate the -die or permit the die to resume its resiliently held position.

9. In combination with a cut-out machine having a work support and a die carriage movable from an idle position away from above the work support, to a position overthe work support, an attachment for converting the-said machine for slashing shoe parts and the like comprising a work holder for locating the work on the work support, and a slashing die holder for locating a slashing blade on the carriage, and means effective upon the motion of the carriage to move the die support into and out of work contacting position, said means comprising resilient means for mounting the die on the die support, a wedge mounted slidably on the die support, and means for engaging said wedge to move it so as to elevate the die or permit the die to resume its resiliently held position, said means comprising an abutment carried by the wedge, an abutment on the machine to engage the abutment in opposition to the movement of the carriage in its stroke away from the work support, and an abutment located on the work holder to engage the wedge abutment after the carriage has moved the blade past the work.

10. The machine of claim 1 in which the blades are shaped as round triangles sharpened on the edges advanced toward the work in slashing, as well as on the rounded apices of the triangles.

11. The machine of claim 2 in which the blade is in the form of a rounded triangle sharpened on the edge advanced toward the work in slashing, as well as on the round apex of the triangle.

12. A slashing die attachment for the reciprocating carriage of a cut-out machine, comprising a mounting plate, mounted on the carriage, a slide on the said plate having a wedge element at one end thereof, a die supporting plate mounted on spring posts on the mounting plate over the wedge path, said slide having a projection thereon serving as an abutment, the said die comprising a slashing blade.

LOUIS G. FREEMAN, JR. 

